I want to do my LLM in Public International Law next year so that I can have broader knowledge before I start my ph.d and to be able to take this ph.d either in the US or UK.

I think the law schools that fit my interests best would be Harvard, Yale, NYU, maybe Columbia (I`m also interested in thoughts on the situation at CLS LLM now), Michigan or Georgetown.

I`m interested in your thoughts on the possibility to get admitted to the ph.d programme on any of these schools if I did not take my LLM there. E.g if I get into the Michigan LLM is it possible or probable to be admitted as a ph.d-student at NYU?

Also, if I take my LLM in Europe (for lack of funding for a US-LLM), does that reduce my chances to do a ph.d in the US severely?

I`m applying for Oxbridge, but probably Leiden or LSE is more likely in that case.

Hope to hear from someone.

Do your LLM in the same school that you wish do get your PhD in.

Most American Law Schools dont accept people into the SJD program unless they did their LLM in the same school (and they probably wont accept you to do another LLM if you already have one)

Even if the particular school you are commited to applying to says that it will accept you even if you dont have the masters from the same school, in practice it is unlikely that anybody will commit to be your thesis supervisor for a doctorate without knowing you personally beforehand.

Research doctrates in Law in the United States are not very valued (a good JD is sufficient for all academic purposes, and a PhD in a cognate discipline is always preferred to an SJD). I think a research doctorate from Europe is likely to oepn more doors. (Check what degrees the professors at top schools from the US or Euorpe have)

thanks for the answer!

I'll take the PhD opportunities into account if I have the luxury of choosing between several schools in the US. For my (realistic) purposes - becoming a law professor in my native European country (as opposed to the unrealistic of becoming a law professor in the US) - I'd suppose a US PhD would be just as good as a PhD from any European university. And from what I have heard (from people with american and from people with european PhD) far more rewarding intellectually.

But then my options are probably limited to:

A) doing an LLM in the US, 1)maybe get accepted for a PhD in the same university or 2) in a European university or 3) in my own country.

B) Doing an LLM in Europe, maybe get accepted for a PhD in 1) a European university or 2) in my own country.

Sounds like a plan:)